Aroldis Chapman and the Boston Red Sox agreed to a 2026 contract worth 13.3 million with a vesting option for 2027, guaranteeing 26 million over two years if he pitches 40 innings next season. The 37-year-old closer has been superb in Boston, posting a 1.04 ERA in 57 appearances across 52 innings with 27 saves and a 15-game streak without allowing a hit—the longest in club history and the longest MLB streak since 2013.

DeGrom steps in for the injured Eovaldi and fires five scoreless innings to fuel a 9-5 win over Oakland, sealing a sweep and an eight-win stretch. Texas leans on depth, with Leiter and Kelly joining deGrom in a reshaped rotation as they chase a postseason berth.

Texas must manage deGrom’s workload to stay fresh for October, while the club hopes its Cy Young-winning absences don’t derail their surge. The Rangers sit atop a strong late-season run and trust their pitching staff to carry the load down the stretch.

Texas rode a nine-run outburst to complete the sweep of Oakland, riding a five-game winning streak into September and closing to within striking distance of a Wild Card. Jacob deGrom was efficient through five scoreless frames before the Rangers eased him off the mound, while Joc Pederson launched a two-run shot and Josh Jung joined the power party with a homer and a double. The lineup cluttered the bases with nine hits and seven walks, and the bullpen weathered a late scare to seal it.

Caleb Boushley faltered late, allowing a spike in runs as the A’s clawed back, but Texas still managed to hold on. Up next, Texas heads to Arizona to open September against the Diamondbacks, with Patrick Corbin facing Ryne Nelson in a high-leverage series opener. For fantasy managers, Pederson and Jung remain hot hands, while deGrom’s innings pace will influence stacking and bullpen usage as the playoff push intensifies.

Texas started fast, riding Joc Pederson’s 2-run blast and Josh Jung’s solo shot to seize an early lead as Jacob deGrom spun five shutout innings for the Rangers. Oakland’s offense finally woke in the eighth, stringing together five runs, highlighted by Jacob Wilson’s two-run bloop double, Tyler Soderström’s RBI double, and Carlos Cortes’s later tally, but the rally fell short in a 9-6 loss and a series sweep.

The A’s slugfest effort wasn’t enough to slow Texas’s top pitching and bullpen, and the club now heads to St. Louis with rookie Luis Morales making the opener while the Cardinals counter with Sonny Gray. Texas, meanwhile, looks to carry momentum into the next slate after a strong team effort and deGrom’s vintage performance anchored the win.

Aroldis Chapman and the Boston Red Sox finalized a 13.3M, one-year pact for 2026 with a vesting option for 2027 that could push total front-loaded guarantees to 26M if Chapman racks up 40 innings in 2026. The club prevailed 5-2 over the Pirates as Chapman notched another save, lifting his 16th-year tally to a career-best 1.02 ERA. With 76 strikeouts in 53 innings and a club-record 15-game hitless streak, Chapman remains a dominant late-inning force and targets a 400th career save.

Boston’s move signals confidence in Chapman as the closer backbone while tying 2027 to on-field volume. His career arc spans Reds, Yankees, Cubs, Royals, Rangers, Pirates, and now Boston, underscoring his durability and high-leverage upside. Fantasy managers should weigh innings projection and bullpen usage as the Sox balance veteran talent with rising arms in a playoff chase.